Lubricator for internal combustion engines



Dec, 3', mm. J. A. ARMITAGE I LUBRICATOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Dec. 22, 1938 Patented Dec. 3, 1940 LUBRICATOR FOR INTERNAL COMBUS TION ENGINES v Joseph Alvin Armitage, Caulfield, vitamin, Australia Application December 22, 1938, Serial No. 247,276

In Australia January 8, 1938 it 10 Claims. (Cl. 123-196) This invention relates to an improved lubricator for internal combustion engines, and refers more particularly to lubricating devices of the type for use on automobile and like engines for automatically delivering predetermined charges or quantities of lubricating oil to the cylinders of the engine by way of the induction manifold during the starting or running of the engine.

It is well known that the cylinders of an internal combustion engine become devoid of lubricant, or practically so, after the engine has been stationary for a period sufficiently long to permit the engine to become cold, which generally speaking, usually occurs after a period of about half an hour, and that the starting of the engine from cold causes considerable Wear to the cylinder walls and pistons until the engine lubricant is circulating sufiiciently to reach and efliciently lubricate such parts. Many devices have been devised to automatically supply to the cylinders, by way of the inductionmanifold, a supply or charge of lubricant, during the starting of the engine and/or for a period after starting. Such devices automatically operate each time the engine is started without regard to the time for which the engine has been stationary, and as stated, the cylinders do not lack lubricant until the the engine becomes cold orhas remained stationary for a considerable period, co'nsequently'the automatic supply of lubricant to the cylinders, when restarting the engine after a short stop, is unnecessary and wasteful of lubricant, this being particularly evident in the case of automobile engines which in use are stopped and restarted for considerably varying periods.

The main object of the present invention is to provide a lubricating device for automatically supplying charges or quantities of lubricating oil to the cylinders of an internal combustion engine during the starting of the engine and/or for a period after starting, whereby the charges or quantities delivered tothe engine cylinders can be accurately timed and governed according to the time elapsing betweenthe stopping and restarting of the engine.

{mother object of the invention is to provide means for automatically removing obstructions that may lodge in small orifices embodied in the lubricating device.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to prevent an overcharge of lubricating oil being delivered to the engine, should the device be overcharged with oil.

The improved lubricator according to the present invention may comprise a main chamber to her beneath the main chamber and adapted to receive oil from the main chamberat a predetermined rate, a tube connected to the intake receive a supply of lubricating oil, a feed chammanifold of an internal combustion engine and; 5

to the main chamber above the level of oil therein, said tube extending a predetermined distance into the feed chamber, and a pipe in said chamber connected to the air to limit or determine the amount of, oil to be passed into the ieed chamber, the distance said tube extends into the feed, chamber determining the time to elapse between the stopping and restarting of the engine at which the cylinders will receive a supply of oil from the feed, chamber when the;

engine is restarted, while the distance said tube extends below. the'level of oil in the feed cham-- ber. regulates the amount of oil the engine cylinders will receive.

Starting of the engine draws the predeten;

mined amount of oil into the engine cylinders from'the feed chamber through the connecting tube, the remainder of the oil in the feed chamber being drawn back into the main chamber through the connection. therebetween, at which,

time air is drawn through the connection to effect the removal of any obstructions that may have lodged therein.

In one embodimentofthe invention where a large oil reservoir is required, the feed chamber,

may be located withinthemain chamber, the feed chamber being supplied or fed with oil at a-predetermined rate from a secondary oil reservoir positioned abovesaid feed chamber, the

secondary reservoir ,being automatically charged starting of the engine, at which the engine cylin ders will receive a charge or. quantity of oil when the engine is started, the secondary reservoir 1 and feed chamber may be interposed by an intermediate chamber supplied with oil at a predetermined rate from the secondary reservoir,

said intermediate chamber being filled to a predetermined level before the feed. chamber receives a charge or quantity of oil therefrom.

In ,order that the invention may be more .readily understood reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing illustrating practical embodiments of a lubricator according to the invention, and in which:

Figure l is a sectional elevation of a lubricator in which the feed chamber is positioned exteriorly of the main chamber and Figure 2 is a plan View thereof with the top of the main chamber removed.

Figure 3 is a detail view of the parts forming the union between the lubricator and the pipe connecting with the engine.

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation of a lubricator having a larger reservoir in which the feed chamber is located within the main chamber.

Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of a modified form of lubricator as shown in Figure 4, in which means are included for providing a prolonged delay in supplying a charge of oil to the feed chamber.

As illustrated in Figures 1 to 3 the lubricator comprises a main chamber 6 having lugs I attached thereto to enable the chamber 6 to be fixed in any convenient position adjacent an internal combustion engine, the top 8 of the chamber 6 being provided with an opening through which lubricating oil can be supplied to said chamber, the opening being sealed by a screw cap 9, the chamber 6 also having a suitable oil level indicator Ii Attached to the bottom of the chamber 6, by means of a bolt I0 and nut I I, is a feed chamber I2, air and oil tight joints being obtained by means of packing rings I3.

Projecting downwardly into the feed chamber I2 from the main chamber 6 is a drip tube I4 having a detachable end M with a reduced passage M therein, the passage I M determining the rate of flow of oil from chamber 6 into feed chamber I2. The end It of the drip tube I4 may be covered with a gauze filter I5, the closed end of which contacts the bottom of feed chamber I2 and so assists the passing of oil back into 'the chamber 6 in 'a manner to be hereinafter described.

40 The end N of the drip tube is detachable for cleaning and the inner end I4 thereof is cone shaped. The upper portion I4 of the drip tube has openings I6 therein, located in a groove around which is positioned a filter gauze I5 Attached to said upper part I4 is a pipe I6 which extends to a position adjacent the top 8 of the chamber 6 the top of pipe I6 being furnished with a cap I6".

The upper end of the feed chamber I2 is'connected to the air by means of pipe I! which passes up through the main chamber 6 and terminates outwardly of the top 8 of the chamber 65. The air pipe I! permits oil to drop, at a rate determined by the drip tube, from the chamber 6 into the feed chamber I2 until the oil level reaches the lower end II of said air pipe IT, at which time an air lock occurs in the upper part of the chamber I2 to prevent the further flow of oil.

Extending a predetermined distance into the feed chamber I2 is the end It of one leg of a U-shaped pipe I8, the end I8 of the other leg being attached to a threaded metal sleeve I9 adapted to be connected to the inlet manifold '65 of an engine, said sleeve I9 being attached to and projecting from the bottom of the chamber 6, the end I8 of the U-shaped pipe I8 having I passageway I8 of reduced diameter therein.

The upper end I8 of the pipe I8 is connected,

by a pipe 20, to the upper end of a closed vessel 2| located in the chamber 6, the upper end of said vessel 2! being in communication with the interior of the chamber 6 by means of a short pipe ti the lower end of the vessel 2I receiving oil from the chamber 6 through a short pipe ZI of comparatively smaller diameter than the pipe 2P so that should the chamber 6 be overcharged with oil, that is, filled to overflowing above the upper end I6 of pipe IS, the surplus oil will gradually feed into vessel 2| through pipe 2| and bring the level of oil in chamber 6 below pipe 2| and thereby revent such excess oil entering pipe 28 and U-shaped pipe I8 and so prevent an excess supply of oil being fed to the engine to which the lubricator is connected.

The threaded sleeve I9 is internally threaded to receive a removable nipple 22, the upper end 22 thereof being cone-shaped and the lower end 22 being tapered, the passageway 22 in the nipple being of reduced diameter in order that the amount of air drawn through the lubricator will not affect the carburetion of the fuel being supplied to the engine.

The end 22 of the nipple 22 is adapted to engage the splayed or bell-mouthed end 23 of the pipe'23 connecting the lubricator to the engine, a flanged sleeve 24 positioned on the pipe 23 being held in abutment with the end 23 of the pipe by a union nut 25 adapted to be screwed on the sleeve I9 to thereby effect the engagement of the pipe end 23 and the end 2'1. of the nipple 22.

In operation the chamber 6 is charged with a supply of lubricating oil and sealed by the screw plug 9, and oil then passes through the openings I6 in pipe I6 to pass at the predetermined rate through the passageway N in the drip tube It into the feed chamber I2. The oil continues to pass from the chamber 6 into the feed chamber I2 until the oil level reaches the end II of air pipe II when an air lock is formed in the chamber I2 to prevent the further flow of oil.

When the engine, to which the lubricator is connected, is started, a reduced pressure is created in the pipe 23, which draws the air from the space above the oil level in chamber 6 by way of pipe 20 vessel 2| and pipe 2W. The reduced pressure also draws oilfrom the feed chamber I2 through opening IS in the end I8 of the U- shaped pipe I8 to pass the oil through the pipe 23 to the engine, the amount of oil drawn into the engine being determined by the distance the end I 8 of the pipe I8 extends below the level of oil in the feed chamber I2. In view of the reduced pressure that is also created in the chamber 6, the remaining oil in chamber I2 is drawn back into the chamber 6 through the drip tube I4, the complete withdrawal of oil being assisted by the end of filter I5 which forms a guide for the last dregs of oil to creep up to the end of drip tube I4. When all the oil is drawn from the feed chamber, air entering through the pipe I! is forcefully drawn through the drip tube I4 and through the pipe I6 to chamber 6, thereby preventing excessive frothing of oil in said chamber. During the period it takes to clear the pipe l6 of oil, air is forced through holes I6 to remove any obstructions of foreign matter which may have collected thereabout.

The air drawn through the drip tube I4 also removes any obstructions in the passageway I l and causes them to fall clear of the passageway HI and to collect at the base of the conical end I4 The end 22* of the nipple 22 in sleeve I9 also functions in a similar manner.

The dimensions of the openings 22 and I8 in the various parts of pipe I8 and connecting pipe 20 are selected so that a comparatively greater reduced pressure is obtained in the upper portion of the chamber 6 than in the feed chamber I2 in order that the charge of oil to be supplied to the engine is quickly drawn off by pipe I8 and that the remaining oil in the feed chamber is quickly returned to chamber 6 and astrong pull of air is obtained through the drip pipe Hi when all the oil in the feed chamber has been returned to the main chamber. In View of the fact that while the engine is running air is drawn through the drip tube, it will be apparent that no oil will flow into the feed chamber until the engine is stopped.

0n the engine being stopped oil will again commence to drip into the feed chamber, and should the engine be restarted before the oil level in the feed chamber has reached the end 58 of pipe l8, no oil will be supplied to the engine, and any oil that may have been passed into the feed chamber will be returned to the main chamber.

From this it will be appreciated, that as determined by the rate of oil flow passed through the 'drip pipe and the amount of oil necessary in the feed chamber to reach the end us of pipe It, a time period may be obtained, which must elapse before the engine, on being restarted, will be supplied with a charge of oil. Furthermore, the quantity of oil to be supplied to the engine may be varied by increasing or decreasing the relative distances that the ends Ili of pipe it and end ll of air pipe ll extend into the feed chamber, so that a greater or less quantity of oil is sup plied above the level of the pipe end it.

The rate of supply of oil to the feed chamber 52, and time necessary for the oil to reach pipe lfi may be so arranged that the engine will not receive a charge of oil until it has stopped long enough to become cool or cold, when the engine cylinders, on the restarting of the engine, after this predetermined period, will receive a charge of oil, consequently, a saving of lubricant is eifected without detriment to the efiiciency of the lubricator.

It is evident also that the rate of supply of oil to the feed chamber l2 may vary with difierences of oil level in the main chamber 6, and although this variation is inconsiderable with lubricators of ordinary size, a different position arises when it is desired to provide an oil reservoir of a larger size, as for heavy commercial vehicles, or where it is necessary to provide for recharging the lubricator at longer intervals. This difficulty is met in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4 in which the main chamber 6 has the feed chamber 12 located in the interior thereof.

The feed chamber I2 is position below a secondary Oil reservoir 26 connected to the feed chamber by a drip tube I4, a U-shaped pipe l8 being connected to the feed chamber and engine in a similar manner to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, the pipe [8 being in communication with the main chamber 6 by port which may be connected to a vessel such as 2|, as shown in Figure 1. The feed chamber has an air inlet pipe l1, and is connected by pipe 21 with a chamber 28 located at the bottom of chamber 6, the chamber 28 being charged with oil from chamber 6 through pipe 29. A pipe extending to the bottom of chamber 28 projects upwardly to deliver oil from said chamber 28 into the secondary reservoir 26, which is preferably positioned below the filling plug 9 so that reservoir 26 is filled with oil when the main chamber 6 is being charged.

When the engine is started, a charge of oil is drawn by the engine from feed chamber l2 (which has received a supply of oil through drip tube M from reservoir 26), the remaining oil being drawn through drip tube l4 back into reservoir 26, in the same manner as described with reference to Figure 1. At the same. time, oil is drawn from chamber 28, through pipe 30, to be delivered into reservoir 26. When the oil level in chamber 23 falls below the level of pipe 29,

air will be expelled through pipe 29 to clear any obstructions therefrom, but when all the oil, from chamber 28 and pipe 30, has been removed, a free passage of air is allowed through pipe 3!] and air will then cease to be expelled through said pipe 29.

Pipe 21 projects a short distance below the level of oil in feed chamber l2 when it is full to ensure that enough oil will pass down pipe 21 and up through pipe 30 to give a column of oil in pipe 39 to provide a resistance sufiicient to ensure a blow-back of air through pipe 29. Pipe 27 also serves as an air pipe for chamber 28, so that the chamber may be recharged with oil. The pipes 27, 30 and chamber 28, are for the purpose of transferring oil from the main chamber 6 to the secondary reservoir 26, therefore the rate of flow of oil from the reservoir 26 is constant and is unaifected by the oil level in chamber 6.

Illustrated in Figure 5, is a similar form of lubricator to that shown in Figure 4, in which an intermediate chamber 3| is interposed between a secondary reservoir 26 and feed chamber l2, so that oil passed at a predetermined rate from reservoir 26, must first reach a level in chamber 3| as determined by pipe 32 before oil is delivered bypipe 32 into the feed chamber l2. In this manner, a prolonged delay is obtained before the feed chamber l2 receives a charge of oil for delivery to the engine.

26 receives a supply of oil from chamber 28 in;

a similar manner as described with reference to Figure 4, while the time delay, for the chamber I2 to receive a charge of oil, is determined by the size of chamber 3| and length of overflow pipe 32, the amount of oil to be delivered to the engine by pipe l8 being determined by the dis.- tance air pipe I! and pipe l8 extend into said feed chamber I2.

I claim:

1. An improved lubricator for internal coma" bustion engines comprising an oil supply reservoir closed to atmosphere, and a feed chamber, means connecting the reservoir and feed chamber to supply a predetermined amount of oil at a predetermined rate to the feed cham-' her, an air pipe connecting the feed chamber to atmosphere and arranged in the feed chamber to limit the amount of oil to be passed into the feed chamber, and a pipe connected tothe feed chamber, to the reservoir above the level. of oil therein, and to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine.

2. An improved lubricator for internal combustion engines, comprising an oil supply reservoir closed to atmosphere, and a feed chamber, a drip tube connecting the reservoir and feed chamber to supply oil at a predetermined rate from the reservoir into the feed chamber, an air pipe extending into the feed chamber and arranged to determine the amount of oil to be passed into the feed chamber, a pipe located in the oil reservoir and connected respectively to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, the feed chamber, and the upper portion of the oil reservoir above the level of oil therein, said pipe extending a predetermined distance into the feed chamber to enable the engine, when started, to withdraw a portion of the oil from the feed chamber.

3. An improved lubricator for internal com- The reservoir bustion engines, comprising an oil supply reservoir closed to atmosphere, a feed chamber attached to the bottom of the oil reservoir, a drip tube connecting the reservoir and feed chamber to supply oil to the feed chamber, an air pipe connecting the feed chamber to atmosphere, a pipe located in the oil reservoir and connected to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, the feed chamber and the upper portion of the oil reservoir, with means arranged between the connection of said pipe to the oil reservoir to prevent the engine receiving an excess supply of oil should the reservoir be overcharged with oil.

4. An improved lubricator for internal combustion engines, comprising an oil supply reservoir closed to atmosphere, a feed chamber, a drip tube connecting the reservoir and feed chamber to supply oil to the feed chamber, an air pipe connecting the feed chamber to atmosphere, a pipe located in the oil reservoir, said pipe being connected to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine and the feed chamber, a closed vessel located in the oil reservoir, said vessel communicating with said pipe, the lower end of said vessel being connected through a restricted opening with the oil in the reservoir, and with the upper end of said vessel communicating by a larger opening with the reservoir above the level of oil therein.

5. An improved lubricator for internal combustion engines, comprising an oil supply reservoir closed to atmosphere, a feed chamber, a drip tube connecting the reservoir and feed chamber, said drip tube extending into the feed chamber to near the bottom thereof, an air pipe extending into the upper part of the feed chamber to supply air thereto and to prevent a further flow of oil from the reservoir when the oil in the 4 feed chamber reaches the end of said air pipe, a

pipe located in the oil reservoir, said pipe being connected to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, to the reservoir above the level of oil therein, and tothe feed chamber at 45 a predetermined point below the level of oil therein, as determined by said air pipe, to provide a measured charge of oil, which is drawn through said pipe by the reduced pressure created in the intake manifold by the operation of the engine, 50 the remaining oil in said feed chamber being returned to said oil reservoir through the said drip tube by the reduced pressure in the oil reservoir by way of the connection of the said pipe located therein.

6. An improved lubricator for internal combustion engines, comprising an oil supply reservoir closed to atmosphere, a feed chamber, a drip tube connecting the oil reservoir and feed chamber to supply oil to the feed chamber, an 60 air pipe connecting the feed chamber to atmosphere, a U-shaped pipe located in the oil reservoir, the ends of said pipe being connected to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine and the feed chamber respectively, the 5 upper portion of said pipe being in communication with the oil reservoir above the level of oil therein with means arranged to prevent oil in the reservoir passing directly into said pipe, the ends of said U-shaped pipe connected to the 70 feed chamber and the intake manifold having restricted openings therein to limit the amount of air drawn through the lubricator by the engine with a larger opening connecting said pipe to the reservoir, and with the end of said drip 75 tube arranged in the feed chamber in a detachable manner, said detachable portion having a restricted passage therein, to regulate the rate of oil flow from the oil reservoir to the feed chamber.

7. An improved lubricator for internal combustion engines, comprising a main oil supply reservoir closed to atmosphere, a secondary reservoir located within the main reservoir, means arranged to automatically supply oil to the secondary reservoir from the main reservoir, a feed chamber positioned below the secondary reservoir, means connecting the secondary reservoir and feed chamber to supply oil at a predetermined rate into the feed chamber, an air pipe connecting the feed chamber to atmosphere and arranged in the feed chamber to limit the amount of oil to be passed into the feed chamber, and a pipe connected respectively to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, the feed chamber and main reservoir above the level of oil therein.

8. An improved lubricator for internal combustion engines, comprising a main oil supply reservoir closed to atmosphere, a secondary reservoir located within the main reservoir, a feed chamber positioned below the secondary reservoir, means connecting the secondary reservoir and feed chamber to supply oil to the feed chamber, an air pipe connecting the feed chamber to atmosphere, a pipe connected respectively to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, the feed chamber and main reservoir above the level of oil therein, and means to supply oil from the main reservoir to the secondary reservoir, said means consisting in a closed chamber positioned on the bottom of the main reservoir, a restricted opening in said closed chamber for the passage of oil from said reservoir into said chamber, a pipe connecting the closed chamber with the feed chamber to supply air to said closed chamber, and a pipe connecting the closed chamber with the secondary reservoir to pass the oil in the closed chamber to said secondary reservoir.

9. An improved lubricator for internal combustion engines, comprising a main oil supply reservoir closed to atmosphere, a secondary reservoir located within the main reservoir, a feed chamber positioned below the secondary reservoir with an intermediate chamber positioned therebetween, means connecting the secondary reservoir and intermediate chamber to supply oil to the intermediate chamber and means to pass a predetermined portion of the oil passed to the intermediate chamber to the feed chamber, an air pipe connecting the feed chamber to atmosphere, a pipe connected respectively to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, the feed chamber and main reservoir above the level of oil therein, and means arranged to automatically supply oil to the secondary reservoir from the main reservoir.

10. An improved lubricator for internal combustion engines, comprising a main oil supply reservoir closed to atmosphere, a secondary reservoir located Within the main reservoir, a feed chamber positioned below the secondary reservoir with an intermediate chamber interposed therebetween, means connecting the secondary reservoir and intermediate chamber to supply oil to the intermediate chamber and means to pass a predetermined portion of the oil passed to the intermediate chamber to the feed chamber, an air pipe connecting the feed chamber to atmosphere, a pipe connected respectively to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, the feed chamber and main reservoir above the level of oil therein and means to supply oil from the main reservoir to the secondary reservoir, said means consisting in a closed chamber positioned on the bottom of the main reservoir, a restricted opening in said closed chamber for the passage of oil from said reservoir into said chamber, a pipe connecting the closed chamber with the intermediate chamber and a pipe connecting the closed chamber with the secondary reservoir to pass the oil in the closed 5 

